Sunday, 3 May 2009

As you read earlier on Blogging Pompeii, the bronze statue of an ephebe as a lampstand from the Casa del Efebo (I.7.10-12, House of Publius Cornelius Tegete), is on loan to the Getty Museum for about a year. It has just recently been installed in the "Basilica" gallery at the Getty Villa.

The statue, having gone through extensive restoration in Florence in the 1990's, received only little conservation work at the Getty Villa--as far as I know it only received a mount for its base in the Basilica and the base was shored up (pardon the non-technical speak!). Every object at the Getty Villa, whether part of the permanent collection or on loan, receives its own mount, made especially for that object. Like other large pieces at the Villa, the Ephebe is mounted on a stabilizing base that is designed as an anti-seismic measure. (And good thing, since we had a magnitude 4.4 earthquake here last Friday!)

One thing that is particularly interesting about the Ephebe is that it retains its original marble base, over which is laid the bronze stand. This is quite rare for sculpture at Pompeii.

The conservation work in Florence revealed the copper lips & nipples that had evidently not been noticed until that time.

You can see other photos of the Ephebe in its temporary home at the Getty Villa on my Flickr page.